Xasthur & Striborg - Split EP (2007)

As hard as I might try, I can think of no two other artists within the bleak, black metal underground that could possibly complement one another like the impressive, depressionist Xasthur and the lord of forgotten trails across the Aussie nightscape Striborg. Thus, their limited edition vinyl split EP from 2007 is no mere eventuality, but a clash of the titans of obscura, each performing a track exclusive to the 1000 copies that will not disappoint those who have come to appreciate their impenetrable grimness. Neither of these artists is even bordering on the accessible, nor do they perform any of the more technical minded black metal that some would demand, instead relying on their innate abilities to channel the very core of darkness into their simple and atmospheric compositions.

Xasthur's piece is entitled "A Tortured Shallow Grave" and runs over 6 minutes, with charnel, gritty guitars that clang and wallop their haunted effigies below the simmering of synthesized flutes and organs. If ever you sought a soundtrack to an overcast, cold morning on which you sat upon a moor and daydreamed the ghosts of dead, muted lovers rising up to stare you into oblivion, I can think of nothing else I would so quickly recommend than Malefic's horrifying rasps morphed into this tapestry of guilt. Striborg's "The Epitome of Misanthropy" buzzes out of the speakers like a hellish wasp factory, conceived through absolutely disgusting vocals that feel as much feedback as actual pronunciation, and sloppy shifts in tempo that half endear me to its woes, and half threaten to drive me up the nearest wall. Still, the song (also over 6 minutes) picks up some good atmosphere within, as melodic undertones surge below the entropic wailing and somewhere, somehow, glory erupts within the turbulent deaths, a black promise.

You've got to struggle with the Striborg track a little more than Xasthur, which feels almost calm by comparison, but they both commit your sanity to the same depths, beyond the limit where the casual pop listener or even black metal fanatic can appreciate the happenings. If you haven't trained your ears to appreciate such disturbing sounds, and feel they won't fit into your limited panoramic view of extreme metal music, then your misgivings are unlikely to alter. But if you are a fan of these two gods of 'bedroom' black metal, I can see nothing but inverse paradise in your immediate futures.

Verdict: Win [7.5/10]

http://xasthur.net/
http://www.myspace.com/striborg1

Striborg - Perceiving the World With Hate (2009)

I've often been dismissive of Striborg's albums in the past, enamored of their unique atmosphere but failing to forge a personal connection to the songs. Perceiving the World With Hate has not only impressed me with its own ghastly charms, but forced an awakening in me. Since hearing this, I've gone back through several of Sin's older works and found what I've been missing. It's been a revelation at the level of a Nattens Madrigal or early Ildjarn.

Like all great innovators, Striborg creates art that is not immediately accessible to the untrained ear. His compositions feel awkward, unbalanced, and out of tune. But they also create a morbid atmosphere that resounds with voluminous, swollen synths which thrive below the jangling fuzz of the chords and acoustics. Sin Nanna's vocals are those of a dying, cornered animal, at the end of its miserable existence, the last pulse of life escaping the frosted breath between its lips. The songs are journeys that play about with the cheesy stereotypes of black metal (man in cloak and corpse paint in forest with no friends) and elevate them to a beautiful truth. "Trails of Desolation", "Etherial Moon", and the title track all emit this sense of decrepit fascination, desolate wanderings through a tired and tortured perception. If you seek something faster as a break from the slow crawl, there is the ruthless "Negative Emanations". As an added treat, Malefic of Xasthur appears on the frightening "Call of the Redwood Forest". Also notable is the 10+ minute "Origin of Parnormal Possibilities", dark and grating ambience.

Perceiving the World With Hate is now the 11th album in a half decade from Striborg, and it is both challenging and raw as fuck. It is one of those albums to which you must surrender your preconceptions of 'black metal', structure and melody if you wish to enjoy. The slow drumming, the synth work and the fiendish, cold guitars create a haunting miasma of loneliness that make my life seem like sunshine by comparison. A dark and unnerving trip, which has gifted me with the desire to re-explore with past releases. Great listening.

Highlights: Trails of Desolation, Call of the Redwood Forest, Etherial Moon, Origin of Paranormal Possibilities

Verdict: Epic Win [9/10]